Few casts

[Godrew1972]

Took a few casts from banks of Davidson mill pond and got 2 nice pickerel on morning dawn stick bait, obviously it was a bit high but not brutal. Then fished church lane bridge and got a perch. Talked to a guy fishing on bridge with shiners, said he got nothing yet. Looks like pretty cold temps next 2 weeks. Today was definitely windy but warm.

[DanH]

Thanks for the report !

[Jigman13]

Church lane is wiped out. Used to be great panfish jigging there in the colder months until the non-natives started filling 48+ qt coolers with everything they caught from golden shiners to crappies to bluegills etc. Goddamn shame what's happening here...

Central jersey freshwater impoundments are doomed where there's good shoreline access. Elbow to elbow for 6" fish. Guys stuffing their backpacks and coolers with micro fish. It's dreadful. It's like a summertime party boat!

That's why I no longer bother...

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

Church lane is wiped out. Used to be great panfish jigging there in the colder months until the non-natives started filling 48+ qt coolers with everything they caught from golden shiners to crappies to bluegills etc. Goddamn shame what's happening here...

Central jersey freshwater impoundments are doomed where there's good shoreline access. Elbow to elbow for 6" fish. Guys stuffing their backpacks and coolers with micro fish. It's dreadful. It's like a summertime party boat!

That's why I no longer bother...

shame indeed.. Not only NJ lakes either.. Even the big lakes up here are feeling the impact on panfish over harvest... NYSDEC has been imposing more and more strict bag limits on fish like perch and sunnies.. Especially lakes near cities that have good shore access... The lakes in NY state from the smallest to largest {Finger Lakes, Oneida, etc} are ringed with houses and businesses and get hit hard, and few people release panfish, especially perch and crappies.. crappies are hit very hard here, and some once fantastic crappie fisheries have been wiped out.. It has become very hard in much of NY state these days to even catch one keeper[10 in.].. Most crappie bearing lakes are loaded with 7 inchers, as any bigger, they are taken and eaten... Even huge Seneca lake which had a world class perch fishery where 12 inchers were boring, and it took a 3 pounder to draw a second glance has been destroyed.. Simply too many fish taken and eaten, or sold.. Yes there are fresh water pin hookers too, a LOT more than you might think.. The location of spots that harbor good size panfish are guarded with extreme prejudice.. There are a few specialists that still do well, but are very secretive\.. Giant Trout?.. They will explain where, when, how, what time, temp, lure, color, depth, boat speed, NO problem.. Ask where there might be good fishing for sunnies, perch, crappies????. crickets....Those fish get hit hard these days, unlike ever before, and they get smaller and scarcer every year.... bob